This is an odd ad!

[rob love]

However, I do not have ball cap, sox or underwear

This does sound like a problem. Talk to your Commanding Officer or maybe the chaplain, and perhaps he can arrange something. Or if you post your address here on MLU, perhaps the forum members will mail you some.

Martin:

You are starting to fit in here, but try not to join the degradation of the long-timers. Before any trip like this, I calculate the worst case scenario, and pack that many days worth of socks and undergarments, with one set to spare. And of course there is always a dry pair of socks in the console.....as any soldier knows, there is nothing like a dry pair of socks on a wet pair of feet to raise morale back up.

On the August trip, the socks went out the back window each night, and by the third day, so did the running shoes. Happy to report that there was zero losses in this department during this trip.

While your offer of spirits is appreciated, I gave up that stuff years ago. I cannot afford to maintain my hobbies and that avenue.....other people can pay the government the sin taxes. Just pay it forward at some point to someone else on the forum, and life will balance it all out.

Now to try and get this thread back on track, here are a couple shots taken during the unloading yesterday. In one shot, it was to try and show how close the safety chains were to the ground. I thought it was the tongue weight, which in the end, while it turned out to be OK, it was the 2 Jeep engines and the box of rims, flywheels, and brake drums that had the truck's hitch dragging.

Also happy to report that the flag that Bob applied to the end of the barrel made it through the whole trip. I did see several of the dreaded MTO trucks along the route, but they left me alone. I suspect that, upon seeing the experienced flag, they realized they were working with a seasoned pro and did not want to hassle him.

[Wayne Hingley]

I was surprised when I read your earlier post about the 25pr not fitting between the fenders of your trailer with the larger wheels/tires. Now I see just how tight of a fit it is! Those guns are a bit wider than they appear when they are sitting out on their own.

Great adventure Rob, and Thank You for your contribution to my cause!

I agree, the flag on the gun is clearly the reason the MTO guys left you alone (definitely the trademark of a pro).

[rob love]

Thank you for the compliment on the flag Wayne, but I have to give credit to Bob and the team at the Hammond barn for putting it on. I personally would not have bothered. There are different standards in each province, and in Manitoba, until it extends about 8 feet back, we don't bother. But the installation was appreciated.

Did some rough calculations on the trip, and it would appear the truck averaged around 16 miles per gallon. I am happy with that.

Of note to the Ontario guys: if you look in the background of some of my photos, you will see what the surface of the earth is supposed to be like: flat. I can tell you that I breathed a sigh of relief when I entered Manitoba, and immediately appreciated the absence of the rock faces at the sides of the roads. Here in Manitoba, skidding off the road into the ditch is not a death sentence, but rather a mere annoyance.

[tankbarrell]

Is that a 20 pr ring Rob?

[rob love]

Yes it is. I have access to surplus 105 L8 leopard barrels, so I may grab one of those and install it on this ring, and have them in the yard for a lawn ornament. Should make a fine hitching post.

[tankbarrell]

Good plan! I must try that on my wife. (for her horse, not herself)

[rob love]

So today I replaced the damaged towing lunette on the latest gun, and moved it out to the side of the quonset for the winter. I have installed the modern tires and rims I got from collectors source for now, but will eventually clean up a pair of 15 cwt rims for this gun as well. In one of the shots, you can see the hole that I will have to patch up in the spring. In the meatime, I must protect the trail from filling with water as the freezing will likely split the trail.

A couple shots.